Scott Prouty, ’47 percent’ videographer, dodges taxes, sues people

Scott Prouty, the Florida bartender-turned-“47-percent”-videographer, apparently created a fictitious business called Nightspot Consulting and has thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes.

Last week, Prouty claimed credit for surreptitiously recording Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s controversial remarks at a fundraiser in May 2012. In those statements, which were widely condemned during the presidential campaign, Romney disparaged the “47 percent” of voters committed to President Barack Obama, “who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it.”

By throwing off his former identity “Anne Onymous,” Prouty has brought considerable attention — not all of it flattering — upon himself. Over the weekend, Prouty claimed on Twitter that his federal tax bill was “paid 100%.” Prouty did not answer The Daily Caller’s phone calls to his cellphone.

But while Prouty may have had trouble filing with the IRS, he has had no trouble filing lawsuits. His record indicates he sued the Dania Beach Hospital Corporation and the Gulfstream Park Racing Association.

According to The Washington Post, that latter suit alleged that Prouty was passed over for promotions in favor of female employees who were “having sexual relations with management.” Prouty was terminated and ultimately dismissed after mediation.

In 2009, Prouty caused a car accident and didn’t have insurance. He didn’t show up to court, and a judge awarded a $5,736.71 insurance claim against him.

Prouty has also made much of his image as a bartender everyman — MSNBC’s Ed Schultz called him a working class “hero” — but he was charged with a misdemeanor of serving alcohol to minors in 2008. He’s also been granted a license to operate slot machines according to state records.

The tax liens wouldn’t be the first time that he has been misleading. In an interview with MSNBC, the 38-year-old bartender told Ed Schultz that he was a “registered independent.” In fact Prouty has been a registered Democrat since at least 2002, when he registered to vote in Broward County.

Coming forward has been good for Prouty’s career as an activist. The United Steelworkers, which campaigned against Mitt Romney, offered Prouty a job after his exclusive interview with Schultz. He told the Huffington Post that there is a “good possibility” that he will accept the job.